Numerous central Massachusetts schools receive bomb threats

SKY 5 OVER A SCHOOL IN ASHBURNHAM, JUST ONE OF ABOUT 20 IMPACTED THIS MORNING. NEWSCENTER5’S TODD KAZAKIEWICH IS LIVE IN GARDNER WITH THE DETAILS. >> GARDNER HIGH SCHOOL IS ONE OF THE SCHOOLS THAT RECEIVED THE THREAT, WHICH PROVED TO BE NOT CREDIBLE HERE, AS WAS THE CASE AT ALL OF THE SCHOOLS. STILL THE RESPONSE FROM POLICE, , FIRE, AND EMS WAS LARGE AND IMMEDIATE AT ALL SCHOOLS. IN ADDITION TO GARDNER, OAKMONT REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL AND OVERLOOK MIDDLE SCHOOL IN ASHBURNHAM WERE ALSO TARGETED. OAKMONT WAS SCHEDULED TO HAVE A DRILL TODAY, BUT WHEN THE THREAT CAME IN, THE RESPONSE WAS REAL, AND THAT WAS CONFUSING FOR SOME STUDENTS. HERE IN GARDNER, THE SUPERINTENDENT SENT A STATEMENT TO FAMILIES, SAYING, AFTER APPROXIMATELY THIRTY MINUTES OF SEARCHING AND INVESTIGATION, WE RECEIVED THE ALL CLEAR FROM THE POLICE AND STUDENTS RETURNED TO THE SCHOOL. PLEASE KNOW THAT OUR STUDENTS WERE NOT IN DANGER AT ANY TIME. STILL, FOR STUDENTS, IT WAS ALARMING. >> WHO WERE IN THE BUS WHEN IT CAME IN, THE CALL, WE WENT DOWN TO WHERE THE SOCCER FIELD IS AND HE GOT DROPPED OFF AND WE HAD TO REMAIN IN THE SOCCER FIELD. WE DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING THAT WAS HAPPENING, PRETTY MUCH. >> TWENTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS WERE MENTIONED IN THE THREAT. AGAIN, THE THREAT WAS NOT CREDIBLE, ACCORDING TO POLICE. EVEN AFTER THE ALL-CLEAR WAS GIVEN, IT WAS NOT JUST A NORMAL DAY OF CLASSES FOR ALL STUDENTS. THAT PART OF THE STORY AHEAD AT 5:00

Police in central Massachusetts communities responded to as many as 20 schools that received bomb threats on Tuesday morning.Gardner Mayor Michael Nicholson said in a statement that Gardner High School was one of the facilities to receive the bomb threat."All students were evacuated and Gardner Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police searched the building and all busses," he wrote. "The area was declared safe and students have returned to their classrooms."In the neighboring town of Ashburnham, police announced that Oakmont Regional High School and Overlook Middle School were locked down during an investigation in the parking lots. Police there emphasized there was "no interior threat" at the facilities. Chief Chris Conrad said the threat was received by the high school at approximately 7:15 a.m.“We were going to our classes, and we just saw our teacher running, and he was like, ‘Get in my class! Get in my class,’ so we just went into his class and shutoff all the lights and hid in corner,” student Jessica Kimenski said.Ashburnham Police announced before 9:20 a.m. that their investigation determined there was no active threat. "There is no information at this time that the threat was credible," police wrote. Ashburnham Superintendent Todd Stewart said all protocols were executed at the schools, and the threat was deemed to be unsubstantiated."At no time were students or staff in any danger this morning. We apologize for any inconvenience traffic delays or students being held on buses that had not yet arrived to OMS or ORHS at the time of the threat may have caused. Our students, staff and families were all exceptionally cooperative and understanding this morning," Stewart said in a statement.

ASHBURNHAM, Mass. —

Police in central Massachusetts communities responded to as many as 20 schools that received bomb threats on Tuesday morning.

Gardner Mayor Michael Nicholson said in a statement that Gardner High School was one of the facilities to receive the bomb threat.

"All students were evacuated and Gardner Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police searched the building and all busses," he wrote. "The area was declared safe and students have returned to their classrooms."

In the neighboring town of Ashburnham, police announced that Oakmont Regional High School and Overlook Middle School were locked down during an investigation in the parking lots. Police there emphasized there was "no interior threat" at the facilities.

Chief Chris Conrad said the threat was received by the high school at approximately 7:15 a.m.

“We were going to our classes, and we just saw our teacher running, and he was like, ‘Get in my class! Get in my class,’ so we just went into his class and shutoff all the lights and hid in corner,” student Jessica Kimenski said.

Ashburnham Police announced before 9:20 a.m. that their investigation determined there was no active threat.

"There is no information at this time that the threat was credible," police wrote.

Ashburnham Superintendent Todd Stewart said all protocols were executed at the schools, and the threat was deemed to be unsubstantiated.

"At no time were students or staff in any danger this morning. We apologize for any inconvenience traffic delays or students being held on buses that had not yet arrived to OMS or ORHS at the time of the threat may have caused. Our students, staff and families were all exceptionally cooperative and understanding this morning," Stewart said in a statement.

Numerous central Massachusetts schools receive bomb threats

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